Enterprise reporting raises questions

February 27, 2013

Whether intentional or not, the story appears to have been positioned to highlight the current unfortunate situation of private individuals directly caused by eight years of delays and millions spent in legal fees. It also appears that you don't comprehend how these types of developments are developed and funded.

As the owner of The Well Dressed Food Company in Tupper Lake, I can attest firsthand to Tom and Susan Lawson's commitment to our community and their support of local businesses. Tom and Susan are not only friends, but have supported and are key contributors to the success of Well Dressed Food. They are the reason that Well Dressed Food has a retail presence in Tupper Lake. They have done nothing but promote Tupper Lake and have put their money where their mouth is. I also know of many other businesses here that will say the same. They are doing this because they believe in Tupper Lake and see a great future here. The dozens of people employed immediately after the 10-1 Adirondack Park Agency approval to renovate multiple properties on Park Street highlight this commitment. Unfortunately, this all came to an abrupt end when Protect the Adirondacks, the Sierra Club, Phyllis Thompson and Bob and Leslie Harrison filed the Article 78 lawsuit to stop the project.

Where was the follow-up questioning on Mr. Caffry's dismissal of any responsibility for the current situation? Protect and the other participants in the Article 78 lawsuit against the APA are 100 percent responsible for the current situation. The ACR received a permit based upon an overwhelming 10-1 vote. Without Protect's lead on the Article 78, the ACR would be well under way, many people would have jobs in Tupper Lake, and this factually inaccurate story would have never been written.

Why is there not a similar investigation of the foreclosure and who the owner of Big Tupper Lake Marina LLC is? Is your goal to shine a light on every property owner under foreclosure? Where is the investigation into the people and reasoning behind the damage that the Article 78 lawsuit has had on Tupper Lake's economy and future?

It sounds like there is much more to this story.

Sincerely,

David C. Tomberlin

Tupper Lake

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(Editor's note: One question Mr. Tomberlin asks, "Is your goal to shine a light on every property owner under foreclosure?" deserves a public response. The answer is no. Normally we do not report on personal property foreclosures, but we believe that when it's the property of someone pushing the biggest news event in a generation in this area - namely, the Adirondack Club and Resort - the community ought to know about it. We report it with heavy hearts, but it's news nonetheless.)